Friday, 18 June 2010

The Integrated Security Unit is planning to clear-cut all trees (and presumably, MASSIVE shrubs too) from the RCMP-controlled zones during the G-20 in Toronto.

The trees could be ripped out of the ground by demonstrators “and then you’ve got a huge bar,” said Constable Wendy Drummond, a spokeswoman for the Integrated Security Unit. [...] Organizers would not say which trees or how many will be hauled away.

“If they’re removing any trees, it’s because they don’t want folks to jump over and launch things from above,” said local city councillor Adam Vaughan.

Mr. Calzavara says the thought that a sapling could be turned into a weapon is “outrageous.” “I would challenge the police to get a couple of burly officers and try to pull one of these trees out of the ground,” he said. “You’d need an axe to cut the thing down. And if you’ve already got an axe, you wouldn’t need a tree.”

Uh-oh. I predict that Mr Calzavara will be visited by the forces of public government order shortly and that all the sharp implements in his home will be confiscated. He might be even arrested for providing the terrists with instructions on weapons deployment.

It beats super-gluing every stone to the ground. Summit security are having fences erected around Lake Shore Blvd. to enclose the piles of landscaping stones so the rocks can't be picked up during protests and used as projectiles -- you know, like a sapling can be.

15 comments:

Okay, now I'm p*ssed off. How do they figger a protester can yank out a tree with his bare hands? One of the photos I've seen recently shows a brand new sidewalk installed for the g20 that inadvertently buried a fire hydrant up to its armpits. The fire hydrant being buried was the point of the photo but the sidewalk was constructed of interlocking brick pavers. A ten year-old of average strength could easily remove a paving stone and it would make a much better weapon than a tree.

If they think protesters are capable of pulling trees out of the ground, then they must be equally capable of pulling bricks from the walls of buildings. I reckon they oughta demolish all buildings inside the perimeter so's protesters don't start throwin' pieces of 'em at the g20 promise breakers.

Oh oh oh ... that's why they've been buried so deeply - so the protesters won't have any leverage to yank them out and use them as battering rams against the walls of the Fortress of Stupitude that Stevie and his bullies have erected.

Alison, you shouldn't jest. I've actually had that argument from a 'conservative' thinker. Very Damn Serious said thinker was too. And a Randian. Rob and his gang were murdering terrorists, but, worse, they were most guilty of wealth redistribution to the unworthy.

Same person had a loathing on for the Scarlet Pimpernel with his interfering in a foreign state's internal matter.

I also had another genius spout, as we watched the peaceful demonstrations in downtown Calgary from an office window ((during the "Kananaskis Summit" for the G8 in 2002, (which, incidentally, was held out in K-country *because* it was isolated)) that they should all be mowed down by the police. This was literally snarled out of a 20something club girl who adored Hello Kitty fashion.

I expect there are many with the same unthinking attitudes primed into them by the usual suspects this go-around. Sadly, it seems they're in government now.

Oh, it's pure idiocy. The LCBO is saying it's for the 'convenience' of their customers so they won't add to the congestion in the core. Like most people travel great distances to get to a booze store. Not.

The one on Spadina -- mine -- has no parking lot and serves the locals, including restaurants and a goodly number of street people. Often at the check-out, restaurant owners or managers are buying a few bottles of booze and giving their license number. Then they walk the couple of blocks or whatever back to their establishments.

So, now for three days, these people are going to have to hike over to Dundas and Yonge or up to Bloor or get in their cars and drive somewhere to stock up before the shindig begins.